Improvement in step-ladders



GEORGE HIGMAN, OF MUNOIE, INDIANA.

IMPROVMENT IN STEP-LADDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No.1145,699, dated March17, 1874; application filed February 21, 1874.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEO. HIGMAN, of Muncie, in the county of Delawareand State of Indiana, have invented a new and rvaluable Improvement inStep-Ladders 5 and do hereby declare that the following is a full,clear, and exact description of the construction and operation of thesame, reference being had to the annexed drawings making a part of thisspeciiieation, and to the letters and figures of reference markedthereon.

vFigure l of the drawings is a representation of a front view of mystep-ladder. Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the same. Fig. 3 is ahorizontal section of the same.

'This invention has relation to the construct-ion of step-ladders, andconsists in the construction and novel arrangement of the braceblockssecuring the outside and inside rails together below the lowest step,and between the second step and thetop of the ladder.

The object of the present invention is to secure, in the construction ofstep-ladders, strength with lightness and economy of materi al'.

In the accompanying drawings, the letter A indicates the steps of theladder, each of which has a rectangular notch cut in its front cornersat In the manufacture of the steps, no material need be lost in cutting`the notches, as they are made half the width of the step, and thematerial cut from the end of one step to form its notch may be left toform the extension b of the next step. B indicates the outer rails,which are secured to the ends of the extensions b of the steps. Bdesignates the inner rails, which are secured to the ends of the notchedand shortened portion, and run in planes parallel with, but inside of,the planes of the outer rails. The front edges of the notches a are cutobliquely, or in a beveled form, to fit up closely and accuratelyagainst the oblique rear edges of the rails B', thus serving to braceand strengthen said rails. These rails are channeled at intervals toreceive the ends of the shortened or notched portion of each step, thusserving, in turn, to brace up this front portion, which receives themain pressure when the ladder is in use. O indicates the top step orplatform of the ladder, secured to the ends ofthe four rails. Betweenthe platform and the second step, A', are placed the short transverseboards or blocks D, which abut against and are secured to the rear edgesof the inside rails and the inside faces of the outer rails. In asimilar manner, the transverse brace-boards D below the lower step A aresecured to the inner and outer rails of each side, and extended downeven with the lower ends of said rails. In this way the slender siderails are firmly connected and braced at their upper and lower ends,when, without such bracing, they would be weak and unsteady. E indicatesthe hinged standards in the rear ofthe step-ladder. These are connectedand braced by the oblique crossbars F F and the transverse bar G, theheight of the latter being even with that of the lower step.Perforations z z are made through this bar G near its ends for thepassageof the coupling-cord y, and through the middle of the rearportion of the lower step, at z, for the same purpose. The cord is thusmade to assume a triangular position, and its oblique lengths :l: a',running from the perforation z to the holes z a, serve to firmly bracethe feet of the standard.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination, with the notched steps, parallel rails, and top board,of the transverse brace-boards D, between the second step and top, andbelow the lowest step, constructed and arranged as specified.

In testimony that I claim the above I have hereunto subscribed my namein the presence of two witnesses.

GEORGE HIGMAN.

Witnesses J. A. WAGHTELL, W. BRornER'roN.

